Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-12-25

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he could not tell why this was no longer
an ~unalloyed satisfaction. Not but that
he had always accepted the admiration OF
others for her 9 a matter of course, but
for the first time he become conscious that
she not Only had an interest in Others, hut
apparently q superior knowledge Of them.
How did she know these things about this
man, and why had she only now accident
ally spoken of them? He would have done
so. All this passed so vaguely through
| his unreflective mind that he was unable
to retain any decided impression, but the
far reaching one that his dodgers had OBJ
tanned some occulent influence over her
through the exhibition of his baleful skill
in the hOrsehsir speculation. Them
tricks is likely to take a young girls fancy.
/ must look arter her" he said to himself
softly.
A slow, regular step in the gangway in
terrupted his p~sternal reflections. Hastily
%buttOning across his chest the pea jacket
which he usually wore ut home as a single
concession to his nautical surroundings, he
drew himself up with something of the
assumption of ~shjpmaster, despite certain
bucolic suggestions of his boots and legs.
The footsteps approached nearer, and a
tall figure suddenly stood in the doorway.
II wa a figure 80 extraordinary that
even in the strange masquerade of that
early civilization it wss remarkable; a
figure with whom father and daughter
were already familiar without abatement
of wonder-tha figure of a rejuyenated old
man, padded, powdered, dyed and painted
to the verge of caricature, hut without n
single suggestion of righteousness or
humor. A face 40 artificial that it seemed
almost a mask, but, like a mask, more
pathetic than amusing. He was dressed
in the extreme Of fashion tt a dozen years
before; his pearl gray trousers strapped
tightly over his vanished boots, his
voluminous satin crayat and high collar
embraced his rouged cheeks and dyed
whiskerS, his closely buttOned frOck coat
~clinging to n waist that seemed accented
by stays.
He advanced two steps into the cabin
with an upright precision of motion that
might have hid the intirmities Of aye, ana
said deliberately with a foreign accent:
"YOu-r-r-aC-cOumpt?"
In the actual presence Of the apparitiOn
Mr.. Motifs digniied resistance wavered.
hut glancing uneasily at his daughter, and
seeing her calm eye fixed on the speaker
without embarrassment, he folded hisarms
stifiIy and, with u lofty stimulation OF OK
amining the ceiling, said:
"Ahem! Rosa! The gentleman's ac-
count"
1t was an iufelicitous action. For the
stranger, who evidently had not noticed
the presence Ofthe young girl before, start
ell, took a step quickly forward, bent stiff
ly hut profoundly over the little hand that
held the account. raised it 10 his lips, aud,
with "a thousand pardOns, mademOiselle,"
laid a small canvas bag containing the rent
before the d~isorganizcu Mr.. Mott and stiilly
vanished.
That night vas y troubled one to the
simple minded proprietor Of the good ship
Pontiac. Unable to voice his uneasineSs
by further discussion, but feeling that his
lodger demanded some marked protest,
H. ahsented himself on the plea o. bust
ness during the rest OF the evening, hap
pity to his daughters utter ObliviOuSnesS
of the reason. Lights were burning bril-
liantly in counting rOOn!s aud offices, the
leyeriSh life Of the mercantile city vas at
It's height. With n vague idea of enter
ing into immediate negotiations with MIR.
Sleight for the sale Of the ship-aS a direct
way ont of his present perpleXity, he bent
hiS steps toward the iinauCier's Office, but
paused and turned back before reaching
the door. lie made his way to the wharf
and gazed abstractedly Mt the lights re-
~lactel in the dark, trcmulOuS. lilly Ike
water. But wueIcyer he went he WIS ac'
cSmpanicd by the absurd figure OF his lOdg,
era ligurs he had hitherto laughed
ut Or half pitied, but which now, to hi,
hewjtdcrcd comprehension, seemed 10 have
q Hateful Significance. lIeue Il new lea
aciZ"d him, and he hurried back to thu
ship, slackeniDg his pace only men Il,
arrived at his own doorway. Here be
paused a moment and "lnwly assembled the
staircase. When he reached the psssigg
~ roughei slightly arh paused again.
Then he pushed open the door Of the dark,
rupd cabiu and called softly:
'Roscy -
"What is il, father said RoScy's voice
from the little staterO0m on III" right
Rosey's own bower.
Nothing said Mr.. Mott, with an If
t~ecta,ion of languid calmnrss; Il only
wanted to know if you was comfortable.
It's an awful busy night in town"
"Ye1, father"
81 reckon thar's tons o gold goin't TO the
states tomorrow
"Ges, father"
"Pretty comfortable, EN-"
eyes, father
"Well I'll browse round a spell, and
turn in myself, soon"
"Yes father
Mr.. Mott took down a hanging lantern,
lit it, and passed out into the gapgway.
Another lamp hung from the cempaGior
hatch to light the tenants TO the lowe
deck, whence he descended. This deck
was divided fore and aft by a pariitiOned
. plsSage-the lofts or apartments hCing
lighted from the ports, anti one or two 10y Z
/, door cut through the ships side rom,
municatiug with an alley on either side,
=, This was the case with the lott occupied
by Mr.. Motifs strange lOdger, which, be
sides a door in the passage, had his indie
, pendent communication with the alley.
Mott had never known him to make ust
OF the latter door; on the contrary, il wa,
his regular habit TO issue from his apart
ment ut 3 o'clock every afternoon, dressed
rs he has been described, stride deliberately
through the passage TO the upper deck auC
thence into the street, where his strang,
figure WAS "a feature OF the priucipa
: promenade for two or three hours, re
turning as regularly at ) o'clock to the
; ship and the seclusion Of his lott. Mr.
, Mott paused before the door, under tn,
| p~retense of throwing the light before hin
| into the shadows OF the fOrecaStlc; all wa,
I silent within. He was turning back wher
, he was Impressed by the regular recur
l renee OF a peculiar ruSting sound which
| he had ut frat referred to the rubbing o
4, the wires of the swinging lantern aclins'
l hlS clothing. lie set down the light anC
| listened; the sound was evidently on tn,
? other side Of the partition; the sound o
some prolonged, rustling, scraping move
| nent, with regular intervals. Was it due
| to another of Mr.. Motifs unprottable ten
? ants-the rats? No. 4 bright ide.
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